The field of this invention is waving rods or similar hair curler devices for use in curling human hair, especially in connection with home-type permanents. This invention also relates to methods of using waving rods.
Although there is a considerable variation in specific designs of hair waving rods for use in connection with home permanents, the basic construction of such devices are generally similar. They include a cylindrical or tubular hair support member about which the hair is wrapped. Associated with the support member is a retainer means, such as a clip or clamp, which functions to hold the wrapped strand of hair on the support. Some of the commercial hair waving rods are formed entirely of molded plastics, while others employ a combination of plastic components and body members formed of adsorbent sponge materials. In one commercial construction, a tubular sponge member has a plastic coated copper wire extending axially therethrough. After the hair is wrapped around the central portion of the sponge body, the outer end portions of the rod are folded and crimped inwardly to hold the wrapped hair.
With most of the currently used waving rods, a waving solution is applied to the rolled strands of hair, viz. by squeezing or daubing. It has been proposed to provide other means for transferring the waving composition to the hair which permits the composition to be initially contacted with the hair in dry condition. This would permit the application of water instead of a waving composition. For example, so-called "waving end papers" have been used for this purpose.
Prior patents have described waving rods or hair curlers employing porous sponge members which are impregnated with a waving solution, and which provide means for transferring a waving solution from the interior of the rod or curler to the wrapped hair. Illustrative of this prior art are U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,747,585, 2,941,534, 3,003,505 and 3,200,826. As far as is known, such constructions have not met with much practical use or commercial acceptance.
In the design and use of prior art waving rods and hair curlers, it has been difficult to obtain a tight wrap of the hair around the device. This can result in the resultant wave having a lesser degree of curl or tightness than desired by the user. Another problem with respect to the use of prior art devices is that the application of the waving solution is a messy procedure. It is difficult to confine the solution to the portion of the hair wrapped around the curler. When other expedients have been tried such as the use of end papers containing the waving composition in dry form, the transfer of the waving composition to the hair following the application of water has been incomplete and uneven. Prior to the present invention no solution has been provided to these inter-related problems. It has been desired to provide more convenient and more effective means for the home permanent waving of hair.